Display device



Nov. 27, 1923. 1,475,726

F. STRAUSS EIT L DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 2C'. 1922 HIHMIIIIIH. "I i L7; y v

INV ToR emr/mana tra us5 A TTORNEY` Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FERDTNAND STRAUSS, 0F NEW YORK, AND FREDERICK L. SCHLEY, OF DROOKLYN NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID FERDINAND STRAUSS.

DISPLAY DEVICE.

Application filed April 20, 1922.V Serial No. 555,683.

To all il.: Imm it may, concern Be it known that we, FERDINAND STnAUss, a resident of New York city, countyv and State `of New York, and FREDERICK L. SoHLnr, of Brooklyn, Kings County, State of New York, and citizens of the United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display Devices, of which the followingvis a specification.' y

This invention relates to improvements in display devices, particularly such devices which are operated by a spring motor. We are well aware that display devices have heretofore been ope-rated `by electricv motors, but we are also aware that display` tables operatedby an ordinary spring motor could never be put to practicable use. Owing to the fact that they are limited in effectiveness; in other words, these spring motors will not operate if any great weight is imposed upon the table` operated by the motor, as the friction created overcomes the power of the motor and its ei'liciency is retarded, or it stops entirely. One of the objects of our invention is to provide special means to enable a spring motor to operate a table upon which considerable weight may be placed and run for a considerable length of time. To the best of our knowledge, spring motors have never been used, for the reason they will not operate tables carrying suihcient weight to make a proper display of merchandise, nor will they run for any length of time for reasons enumerated above.

'We will now proceed to describe our invention in detail, the novel features of which we will point out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein :m-

Fig. 1 is a sectional view partly in ele.- vation, of an embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, illustrating our improved heel bearing for the shaft carrying the table;

Fig. 3 isa cross sectional view, the section being taken on a line 3-3 in Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sectional views of another form of our invention.

As might be gathered from the above statement, our invention has for one or its objects to produce a device whereby a. spring actuated motor can be adapted to operate a table upon which considerable..

weight isimposed.

The drawing illustrates a spring'motor made up of Suitable springs 6 within a casing 7said springs actuating gears 8, 9, 1()

and 11,A the gear 11 being carried by ashaft 12 which in turn supports a tableI 13 upon which goods to be displayed are placed. i

The numeral 14 indicates a ratchet engaged .by a pawl 15 carried by casing 7. The

ratchet 14 is carried by the motor shaft 16` 7. The shaft 16 carries a gear 18 at its upper end meshing with a gear 19 on a winding shaft 20, to which a handle (not shown) can be applied for the purpose of winding springs 6. A particular form of motor used to operate shaft 12 is not material, the motor herein described being for purposes of illustration only.

Any weight upon table 13 will be imposed upon the lower end or hee-l 21 of shaft 12, Therefore it is necessary to reduce friction at this point. Toreduce friction to a minimum, we provide a steel sphere or ball 22 upon which shaft 12 rests, that is to say, the heel 21 of the shaft rests upon ball 22 which is carried in a channel 23 formed in the block 24 carried by casing 25. The ball 22 will be retained in position in line with the axis of casing 12 by the side walls 26 of channel 23 and end walls 27 and 28 of blocks 29 and 30 slidable longitudinally of the channel 23. The channel 23 also carries a second ball 31 located between blocks 30 and 32, block 32 being slidable as well as blocks 29 and 30. To hold the blocks 29, 30 and 32 and balls 22 and 31 in position, we e1nploy adjusting screws 33 and 34. The second ball 31 is provided to replace ball 22 should ball 22 become worn. To cause ball 31 to replaceV ball 28, screw V33 will be backed Gif entirely and screw 34 screwed up until end wall 35 of block 29 strikes end wall 36 of the cap 37 covering channel 23. This replacement of ball 22 can be accomplished without disassembling the device. It will, of course, be understood that the heel of shaft 12 and balls 22 and 31 will be hardened.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a form of our invention consisting of a plurality of hardcned anti-friction balls 38 carried by a block 39 secured to the casing 25 by a bolt or screw 40 about which the block can be rotated. Each ball 38 is carried in a pocket 41 formed in block 39, a plate 42 being provided to cover the lower surface of block 39 and lower end of the openings which form the pockets 4l. The plate 42 is secured to block 39 by set screws 43 and 43.

To lock the block, a screw 43 is provided, which passes through plate 42, block 39 and into casing 25, the said bolt havingV a threadedV engagement with said casing. To replace a worn ball with a new one, screw 43 will be removed and block 39 rotated until a new ball alines with shaft 12. When block 39 is to be rotated, shaft 12 will be lifted up. The screw 40 will` serve to position the balls relative `to the shaft.

In all the forms of our invention, it will be seen that the point of contact between the heel of shaft l2, which is flat, and ball is a mathematical point producing comparatively no friction when the shaft is rotated. Should friction be developed, the ball will turn or rotate. The point of contact between lthe ball and its bearing member is also a. mathematical point; hence, the friction developed between these points will be nil. The balls will preferably run in oil. Our improved device is particularly applicable to spring motors, the power of which is necessarily limited. As a Amatter of fact we have found in practice that a display table operated by an ordinary spring noter could not be operated when the heel of a shaft, such as shaft 12, bore upon a rigid or immovable support, and that said devices do operate in a satisfactory manner when equipped with our improved heel bearing, and thus have become a commercial asset.

Vhat we desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination of a vertical Shaft, a plurality of balls adjacent the lower end vof the shaft, said shaft resting upon one of the balls, and means to move the ball in use away from the shaft and to move a new ball into place under said shaft.

2. The combination of a shaft, a plu rality of anti-friction bearing members adjacent thereto, said shaft. bearingupon one of said bearing members, and means to replace the bearing member that is in use with a new'bearing member.V

3. The combination of a shaft, a plurality of antifriction bearing, members adjacent thereto, said shaft bearing upon one of said bearing members, and manually operable means to move the bearing member that is in use away from the shaft and to move a new bearing member in place undersaid shaft.

4. In combination with a vertical shaft,

' a support having a channel therein, a plurality of anti-friction bearing members movable longitudinally of the channel arranged to support said shaft, and means to locate any of the bearing members in position under said shaft at will.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

FERDINAND STRAUSS. FREDERICK L. SCHLEY. 

